Well at least we got a seat on the local bus to Jaisalmer and there was no need to ride on the roof. Clearly tourists do not use this bus often as we were stared at, very rudely at times, throughout the journey. A woman who sat next to me at one point actually turned herself to face me just to have a good look. Paul spend the first hour staring people out as they just wouldn't quit. There were some fabulous looking characters on the bus - older men with enormous ...

I left off last time with us on a tour in a taxi from Udaipur to Jodhpur via the magnificent Kumbalgarh and Ranakpur. We arrived at the usual auto-rickshaw stand (tuk-tuk) to be met by the guesthouse owner. Paul had just phoned him using the number on our reservation confirmation. A young friendly guy greeted us and flagged down a tuk-tuk for us and our bags and he followed us through the claustrophobic, muddled, winding streets of the blue painted Jodhpur. We ar...

Udaipur is a city on a lake - its architectural beauty is unrivalled in Rajasthan from what we have seen. O.K so it still has cows everywhere but its arched bridges, its palaces and its Havelis give it an almost mediterranean feel. Havelis were mansions usually built around courtyards very similar to Morrocan Riads, with dark wood doorways, painted scalloped archways and decorated ceilings. Our hotel Thamla is a Haveli, our room is probably the best we've stayed ...

A relaxing 3 hour bus to Ajmer ensued, next a 12Rp (7p) 10km local bus to Pushkar. As usual we were the main attraction at the bus station and on the bus. Pushkar is another pilgrimage hotspot with temples galore and set on a lake lined with Ghats - created when 'Brahma dropped a Lotus flower on earth..' No Alcolohol, no meat and not even eggs! We arrived in the dusty small town of less than 20,000 and secured the services of a man who used a trolley cum cart to ...

After a restful sleep we awoke to the sound of peacocks crying outside our hotel. We had arrived in Jaipur after a 5 hour bus journey. Paul had stocked up on Imodium as he had been ill. The initial ride was a bit swervy and bumpy, so much so that the old Indian woman sat behind us puked out of the window. Showing much sympathy I quickly put my earplugs in and closed my eyes to block it all out. Paul moved us to the back of the bus to seats that reclined so that h...